Duodenal Switch Surgery

For people who are suffering from severe obesity and are unable to lose weight through traditional methods like dieting or exercise, then probably surgery is the best option for them. Stomach reduction surgery is especially recommended for people who are severely obese having BMI or Body Mass Index of 40 or greater than 40.

Stomach reduction surgery involves two types of procedure namely restrictive and malabsorptive. In the restrictive procedure, size of the stomach is reduced and pouch is formed which makes patient to feel full for the extended period. This results in sudden decrease in the calorie intake and promotes long-term weight loss. On the other hand, malabsorptive procedure involves reducing the length of the digestive tract which restricts the amount of food that body can absorb.

Typically, there are four different types of stomach reduction surgery are performed in the United States. These include:

Adjustable Gastric Band (AGB): In Adjustable gastric band surgery, a silicon band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to reduce the size of the stomach. The new stomach is capable to hold only a small amount of food. The band is further inflated or deflated with the help of saline solution as patient need and requirement. This procedure is safe and patient can lose up to 50% of their excess weight over two years.

Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass: This is another type of stomach reduction surgery the size of the stomach is reduced and small pouch is created by cutting and stapling the stomach. The smaller stomach is then connected to the middle portion of the small intestine bypassing the remaining portion of the stomach and upper part of the small intestine. This procedure make patient feel full and reduce the amount of food intake. On an average, patient can lose up to 60% of excess weight over 18 months.

Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD-DS): BPD also known as duodenal switch is a complicated stomach reduction surgery as compared to adjustable gastric band or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. In this surgery, a large part of the stomach (almost 80%) is reduced and stomach is then rerouted to the small intestine. This prevents the amount of food intake and calories absorption. This surgery results into an effective weight loss; however, there may be some complications due to malabsorption.

Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy: In this form of surgery, stomach is reduced in size and long vertical pouch is created. The duodenum is attached to the distal part of the small intestine from where the food and digestive juices are traveled. The complication with this stomach reduction surgery occurs when most of the food bypasses the duodenum.

All of the above mentioned weight loss surgery options have their own pros and cons. You better consult your doctor to know which procedure is suitable for you, their risks, benefits and results.